| Photographer | William Umpleby Kirk aka Kirk & Sons | |
| Active Period | c1877 - 1940 | |
| Lifespan | Born: 1843 Hull, Yorks | Died: 1928 IOW |
| Studio Addresses | Imperial Studio, The Parade, Cowes (1898) Bath Road, Cowes (from 1898) The Parade, Cowes (c1939) |
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| Associates | Edgar W P Kirk (son) Arthur H Kirk (son) - Studios at Palmerstone, Freshwater Bay and 11 Broadway, Totland Bay |
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| Trade History | 1895 IW County Press advertisement (see below) Arthur H Kirk, photographer, Palmerstone, Freshwater Bay 1898 Kelly's Directory IOW (page 473) 1899 Kelly's Directory of
Hampshire & IOW 1906 Kelly's Directory of IOW (page 662) 1910 Kelly's Directory of IOW 1915 Kelly's Directory of Hampshire & IOW (page 1090)
Wm U Kirk & Sons, photographers, The Parade, Cowes 1921-22 Kelly's Directory of IOW (page 729) 1924-25 Kelly's Directory of IOW (page 485) 1927 Kelly's Directory of Hampshire & IOW (page 1106) 1933 Electoral Register 1939 Kelly's Directory of Hants
& IOW (page 1057) |
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| Awards | ||
| Photographic Evidence Found |
1913 - estimated date of photo
negative number 1494 - see below 1929 - known date of photo negative number 14079 1930's - estimated date of photo negative number 17715 1940 - known date of photo negative number 18319 |
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| Examples of Photographs, Trade Cards, Adverts, etc |
   Examples of Kirk's embossed logo and trade stamp from the above photo of an airplane negative number 1494 taken c1913. Note - these were from the same photo but their size and colour have been adjusted to render them more visible. My thanks to Bill Bright for the above photo of a 'mystery' seaplane flying at Cowes.
My thanks to Richard Schick in Canada who purchased the above photo in Vancouver. |
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| Family History | William Umpleby Kirk was born
in 1843 at Hull,
the son of an auctioneer William Kirk and his wife Mary Ann, both from Leeds.
At the time of the 1851 census, 8 year old William
Umpleby was living with his parents and two older sisters at Market Weighton,
about 15 miles northwest of Hull. In the 1861 census, William Umpleby was
found lodging in Birmingham, employed as a printer compositor and pressman. In 1865 at Scarborough, William married Ada Elizabeth Parkin from Seacroft, Yorkshire, the daughter of butcher & farmer William Parkin. In the handwritten GRO marriage index of the period, her name had been erroneously entered as Paskin. The couple set up home in Market Weighton where their first son Arthur Henry was born in 1866. The 1871 census records William working as a glass and china dealer living on the High Street. Another son, Edgar William, was born there later that year. It was at Market Weighton in the early 1870's that William Umpleby Kirk set up a photographic studio, possibly as an adjunct to his glass & china business. A photograph of the period has been found with the imprint on the reverse "Wm Umpleby Kirk, Photographer, Market Weighton". However, by 1874 the family had moved to Walthamstow, East London, where two more children were born; Ernest Oliver in late 1874 and Minnie Blanche in early 1877. By the time of the 1881 census, the family was living at High Street, Northwood, IOW, with William being described as a photographer employing two boys and a girl. Also living with the family was a 20 year old nephew William Raintill from York described as a photographer's assistant, a servant and lodger. Although not identified as such, it is probable that other of William's children made up the complement of assistants. Indeed, the two eldest sons, Arthur and Edgar, later became photographers. Minnie's birth in early 1877 at Walthamstow effectively establishes the earliest date of the family's arrival on the Island. At the time of the 1891 census, the family was living at Clarence Cottage, Bath Road, Cowes, with William being described as a photographer and Edgar a photographers son. Older son Arthur was not present and was to be found living in Ashford, Kent, employed as a photographer operator. Arthur, then 24, was boarding with widow Mary Barns from Ashford who was also a photographer and had a 24 year old daughter, Nelly, working for her as a photographer retoucher. Arthur married Nelly Barns early the following year in West Ashford. By the time of the 1901 census, Arthur Kirk had returned to the Island and was living at Palmerstone, Freshwater Bay. The census records him as being a photographer on his own account and a widower. Research shows that his wife, Nelly, had died in early 1900 at Lewisham, London, so it is possible that Arthur was operating as a photographer in that area in the 1890's. However, an advertisement in the IW County Press confirms he had a studio at Freshwater Bay in 1895. Also in the 1901 census, William Umpleby Kirk was found living at 19 Bath Road, Cowes, though it is not known if this was the same residence as Clarence Cottage as in the 1891 census. In the 1901 census, William was described as a photographer employer at home, and living with him were his wife Ada and two sons Edgar and Ernest, both described as photographers. William Umpleby Kirk died on 20 Jan 1928 and was buried at Northwood Cemetery. His wife, Ada, died on 16 May 1932 and was also buried at Northwood Cemetery. After William died in 1928, his son Edgar continued running the business until, at least, 1940.
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| Further Notes | My thanks
to Frederick Appleby of London for
notifying me of the early 1870's photo taken at Kirk's
Market Weighton studio.
FRESHWATER ... "PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO -
Portraiture in any of the modern permanent processes. A good selection of
views of the neighbourhood. ARTHUR H KIRK, Palmerstone, Freshwater Bay" My thanks to Ann Barrett for locating the above article. |
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